Own goal hands TAMIU a much-needed road victory

Midfielder David Martinez handles the ball for the TAMIU Dustdevils as they played Dallas Baptist University Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the TAMIU Soccer Field.

Midfielder David Martinez handles the ball for the TAMIU Dustdevils as they played Dallas Baptist University Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the TAMIU Soccer Field.

Photo: Cuate Santos /Laredo Morning Times File

Photo: Cuate Santos /Laredo Morning Times File

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Midfielder David Martinez handles the ball for the TAMIU Dustdevils as they played Dallas Baptist University Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the TAMIU Soccer Field.

Midfielder David Martinez handles the ball for the TAMIU Dustdevils as they played Dallas Baptist University Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the TAMIU Soccer Field.

Photo: Cuate Santos /Laredo Morning Times File

Own goal hands TAMIU a much-needed road victory

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In a must-win game Sunday, the Texas A&M International soccer team couldn’t find the net at Dallas Baptist. Luckily for them, the Patriots found it for them.

The Dustdevils won 1-0 at Dallas Baptist with an own goal being the only score of the day. The contest was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon but was postponed due to inclement weather.

The victory moves TAMIU back in the thick of things in an extremely crowded race for the postseason. With four games remaining, the Dustdevils are 4-6-2 with a 3-5-1 record in Heartland Conference play. That gives them 13 points as they are tied now tied for eighth place in the league.

With the three division winners getting an automatic bid as well as three others receiving an at-large bid to the Heartland Conference Tournament, TAMIU is still in play for both despite coming into the game in 10th. In the South division, they trail leader St. Mary’s by a little more than a win as the Rattlers have 17 points. And the division’s second-place team in St. Edward’s is one win ahead at 16 points in possession of the sixth and final playoff spot.

Overall, there are eight teams in the conference that have between 13-18 points behind the Heartland’s North and West Division leaders in No. 3 Midwestern State (11-1-1, 8-1-1 Heartland) and West Texas A&M (10-2-2, 7-2-1), respectively, which lead the way with 25 and 22 points.

TAMIU desperately needed to win Sunday after dropping three straight games and four of their past five. But the team had some struggles with Dallas Baptist (3-10-1, 1-9), which remains in last place in the South and 11th out of 12 teams in the conference with only three points.

Sunday’s win, however, looked nothing at all like the last time the teams met on Sept. 15. That day, TAMIU erupted for a 6-1 victory in Laredo as it scored its most goals ever while at the NCAA’s Division II level.

Yet this time it was the Patriots’ own goal during the 51st minute that was the difference as neither team could manage finding the net even once for their own side of the scoreboard. That gave the Dustdevils a scoreless effort offensively for the second time this week. The team was also shut out for the first time in 2018 Thursday falling 2-0 at St. Edward’s.

TAMIU finished Saturday with a 13-7 advantage in shots with a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Charlie Michel led the way with five shots while eight others had one. Michel, Keanu Born, Yair Hernandez and Abraham Salazar all had a shot on goal.

With the season winding down, the Dustdevils’ schedule sets up perfectly for the team to get itself in the tournament field. Next week the team has a pair of home games playing against fourth-place Lubbock Christian (7-3-3, 5-2-3, 18 points) Thursday at 7 p.m. before getting a good opportunity for three points on Senior Day against last-place Texas of the Permian Basin (1-12-1, 0-9-1, 1) Saturday at 1. The group will then finish the season the week after with road games against South leader St. Mary’s as well as fifth-place Rogers State (7-5-2, 5-3-2, 17).